November 11, 2000, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, marked a masterclass in technical heavyweight boxing. Lennox Lewis (249 lbs) systematically dismantled the previously undefeated David Tua (245 lbs) over 12 rounds. In defending his WBC and IBF titles for the ninth and third time, respectively, he entered as a 3-1 favourite and proved the odds makers correct.
The statistical dominance was stark: Lewis connected with 300 of 674 punches compared to Tua's 110 of 413, reflecting his superior reach and tactical approach. This disparity was evident from the opening bell, where Lewis established his jab as the fight's defining weapon, keeping the shorter Tua at range and unable to effectively deploy his feared left hook.
Though Tua managed to land two significant left hooks in the sixth round and a solid left-right combination in round two, these were rare successes in an otherwise one-sided affair. Lewis's technical superiority peaked in the later rounds, particularly in the ninth when he landed a devastating left that visibly impacted Tua. By the final round, Tua's bloodied left cheek told the story of Lewis's jab-heavy strategy.
The judges' scorecards reflected the fight's one-sided nature: Dave Moretti scored it 119-109, Chuck Giampa 118-110, and Jerry Roth 117-111, all for Lewis. The champion earned $8.5 million for his efforts, while Tua took home $3.5 million. The event drew 12,085 attendees (10,809 paid), generating a $6.5 million gate and 420,000 pay-per-view buys.
The bout stands as a definitive example of how a taller heavyweight can neutralize a shorter, powerful puncher through technical excellence and disciplined game plan execution.
